


When They Were Young

by hamfan05



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Beta Wanted, Black Family (Harry Potter) - Freeform, F/F, F/M, First War with Voldemort, M/M, MWPP, MWPP Era, Marauders, Marauders Friendship, Marauders' Era, POV Multiple, Slow Burn, jily, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-06-22 22:20:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15592023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamfan05/pseuds/hamfan05
Summary: The story of the Marauders, from the beginning up until the very end.





	1. Chapter 1

_December 1966_

  
The dim light of the overhead chandelier does little to illuminate the rather large, loud and gloomy dining room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The clank of silverware and the low buzz of conversation from the adults doesn't faze young Narcissa Black, who has sat through these dinners many times before. Impatiently pushing away a gravy dish so she can lean forward, she tries to listen in to what the adults and her older sisters are talking about. The sisters in question are both deeply involved in discussions of their own, across the table. The middle daughter, Andromeda, is currently deep in conversation with her uncle, Alphard. Their shared feeling on the topic being discussed by the rest of the table however, is the opposite as to how the rest of the family, including the eldest sister, Bellatrix, views it.  
  
"I tell you Ignatius, it's been getting worse and worse!" comes the deep voice of the sisters' father Cygnus.  
  
"What's been getting worse father?" questions Narcissa, desperate to appear active in the conversation.

Bellatrix opens her mouth indignantly to respond, but is cut off by their mother.

  
"Daughter," admonishes her mother, Druella. "It isn't ladylike, nor your place to interrupt your father like that!"  
  
"Ah, Druella, calm yourself," replies Cygnus. "She ought to know whats going on in the world if she's going to become a little socialite when she grows up!"  
  
Narcissa blushes. "Father-"  
  
"Though I doubt you'll have trouble with that being betrothed to the son of Abraxas Malfoy!"  
  
Chortles ring out across the table. Narcissa blushes deeper. Bellatrix gives her a patronizing smile.  
  
Almost exactly reverse to this conversation, is the exchange happening between 17 year old Andromeda and her uncle.  
  
"I swear, uncle, it's only been getting worse."  
  
"I'm aware," Alphard responds grimly, a hard set to his mouth

"At school, muggleborns, half-bloods, the so called 'blood-traitors'. What happens... And it's my own family uncle. Bella, her betrothed, many others from the sacred 28. And-and I'm so scared, for me, for T-Ted, for many of my friends really..."  
Andromeda has told her uncle of her plans to run away with Ted Tonks, a muggleborn Hufflepuff, as soon as they finish their final year at Hogwarts. He has set up funds for her, untraceable back to him, and plans to help what he sees as the one decent person in his family, escape the oppressive overhanging mantle of the Black name.  
Not privy to all the plans, schemes and drama unfolding at that very Christmas dinner, seven year old Sirius Black and his five year old brother Regulus play with the large array of forks spread out at their place setting. Even more then usual, seeing as it is Christmas dinner. Already bored out of their minds, they decide to see how many forks exactly, they can stick in the large roast turkey sitting in the middle of the table. It turns out not many before they are noticed by their family. 

“Sirius and Regulus Black!” exclaims their mother, Walburga. Narcissa and Bellatrix snicker behind their hands. Andromeda subtlety gives them a thumbs up.

”Now, now Walburga, they’re just boys.” Soothes their father, Orion.

”Boys who will soon be men!” Walburga retorts sharply, drawing herself up. 

“Boys, I do think it best if you return to your rooms,” Suggests their uncle Alphard, not unkindly.

”Good idea Alphard!” Booms uncle Cygnus. “We were just about to start discussing more," he pauses, "grown-up topics.” He misses the look of discomfort that passes between Andromeda and Alphard, and the look of pure excitement from Narcissa, who at thirteen, has never been allowed to stay for the ‘adult talks’ before. Sirius and Regulus reluctantly get down from the chairs that are much too high for them and walk upstairs.

The talk that commenced after they left, could very well have been the beginnings of what would later come to be known as the First Wizarding War.


	2. Chapter 2

_March 1970_

 

When James Fleamont Potter wakes up on the morning of his tenth birthday, at precisely 7:03, he is already excited for the surprises, (and presents, mainly presents) that come along with the occasion

He can smell the intoxicating perfume of bacon being fried wafting up from the kitchen downstairs and hurriedly throws himself out of bed to follow the delicious scent.

When he arrives in the large, pale yellow kitchen, his face immediately lights up at the pile of presents on the kitchen table. "Thanks mum! Thanks dad!" Euphemia and Fleamont Potter smile as he sits down at the table and digs into the plate of bacon with an fervor that rivals that of a hippogriff. The elder Potters sit down as well to eat and Fleamont Potter demonstrates where James' appetite comes from.

Euphemia eats more slowly, raising one eyebrow at the two. "Boys," she admonishes playfully.

Both father and son give her matching grins.

Euphemia sighs, and attempts to hide her smile.

"Master James!" comes a high voice.

"Sooley!" cries James and grins at the house elf standing in front of him.

"Sooley wishes Master James a happy birthday!" James grins and does a mock bow from his seat. "Sooley has made Master a gift!" she adds rather shyly.

"Aw- thanks Sooley!" he replies. Sooley snaps her finger and hands James the parcel that's appeared. He carefully rips it open and takes out the gift. "An avocado! Thanks!...."

Sooley blushes and disappears with a loud _pop._ James shoves his fork into his mouth and swings his head around to look at his parents.

"Mum, dad, can I open my presents from you guys yet?" James asks. Hardly distinguishable around the mouthful of eggs currently in his mouth.

"Yes honey, go ahead" replies his mother. Groaning at the nickname, though he secretly doesn't mind it, he makes his way over to the pile, a huge grin cresting his light brown face. He opens the present carefully, unwilling to rip the paper. He pulls out a pair of broom clippers. "But- I don't have my own broom, I just use dad's,"

And use he did. Almost as soon as he'd learned to walk his father would set him down on the broom in front of him and they would fly all over the yard together. He practiced using the broom day and night, sometimes sneaking out to have a quick fly. He had gotten quite good and had sulked for a bit when he found out about Hogwart's policy about first years on the team.

"Just keep going" his mother encourages him. Puzzled, he open the next package. Its a small jar of broom polisher. An idea starts to form in his head, when his father pulls out a package from the cabinet under the sink. He sees the shape of it and eagerly tears it open. He is confronted with the newest broom model. A Nimbus 205. He stares at the broom for a few seconds before standing up to pull both his parents into a bone-crunching hug. Fleamont and Euphemia share a smile and James' father ruffles his hair, but then James grabs the broom and tears out into the backyard.

The amazing, thought-clearing, exhilarating feeling he always gets when he's in the air feels magnified by a hundred on this new broom. He spends hours flying until the cold March air finally catches up to him.

He comes back down, not knowing how his skill will blossom in the later years, so much he could have played professionally if what happened that fateful night in October had been avoided.


End file.
